JEFFERSON - The Monroe High School softball team came through with some two-out magic and clipped Jefferson in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal 6-4 Wednesday.
Monroe (16-8) scored all six runs after two outs and had five two-out hits to pull out the victory.
With the game tied at 4, the Cheesemakers delivered two runs in the seventh inning. Monroe junior Meredith Hose led off with a single. Sophomore Hailey Betthauser moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Olivia Bobak then lined a two-out RBI single to center to score Hose to give the Cheesemakers a 5-4 lead. Senior Lexi Hilliard then had a key RBI double down the left-field line to score Bobak for an insurance run.
The Cheesemakers committed five errors and gave up three unearned runs but overcame it with their clutch hitting.
"The girls kept their composure and energy the entire game, and it showed," Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy said. "When we needed a two-out hit we got it. I think even with our poor defense we came up and got some clutch hits when we needed them. At this time of year it's all about winning. It doesn't have to be pretty. It's about wins."
Monroe advances to a regional championship game Friday when it will play the winner of the Beloit Turner vs. Whitewater game. Beloit Turner, ranked second in the Division 2 Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association state poll, will play Whitewater in a regional semifinal today. The regional semifinal game was pushed back because Whitewater's first-round regional game against Pewaukee was postponed Tuesday. Whitewater defeated Pewaukee 5-4 to advance to play at top-seeded Turner today.
The last time the Cheesemakers won a regional title was in 2013 when they made a run to the Division 2 state tournament and lost a semifinal game 6-0 to New London.
Betthauser went 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI. Hose went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, one double and one RBI, and Hilliard was 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI.
Bobak tossed a complete game and gave up one earned run on four hits. She struck out eight and walked four.
"In the last two innings, she (Bobak) clamped down, struck out three and induced two groundouts," O'Leksy said. "Prior to that, Jefferson had runners on every inning. Bobak came through in the end when we needed her."
Jefferson scored two runs in the first to take an early lead. The Cheesemakers battled back with a four-run second. Monroe freshman Grace Tostrud had a two-run single to right to score junior Madison Katzenberger and Sam Marty to tie the game at 2. Hose then delivered an RBI double and Betthauser came through with an RBI single to give the Cheesemakers a 4-2 lead.
Monroe (16-8) scored all six runs after two outs and had five two-out hits to pull out the victory.
With the game tied at 4, the Cheesemakers delivered two runs in the seventh inning. Monroe junior Meredith Hose led off with a single. Sophomore Hailey Betthauser moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Olivia Bobak then lined a two-out RBI single to center to score Hose to give the Cheesemakers a 5-4 lead. Senior Lexi Hilliard then had a key RBI double down the left-field line to score Bobak for an insurance run.
The Cheesemakers committed five errors and gave up three unearned runs but overcame it with their clutch hitting.
"The girls kept their composure and energy the entire game, and it showed," Monroe coach Joe O'Leksy said. "When we needed a two-out hit we got it. I think even with our poor defense we came up and got some clutch hits when we needed them. At this time of year it's all about winning. It doesn't have to be pretty. It's about wins."
Monroe advances to a regional championship game Friday when it will play the winner of the Beloit Turner vs. Whitewater game. Beloit Turner, ranked second in the Division 2 Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association state poll, will play Whitewater in a regional semifinal today. The regional semifinal game was pushed back because Whitewater's first-round regional game against Pewaukee was postponed Tuesday. Whitewater defeated Pewaukee 5-4 to advance to play at top-seeded Turner today.
The last time the Cheesemakers won a regional title was in 2013 when they made a run to the Division 2 state tournament and lost a semifinal game 6-0 to New London.
Betthauser went 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI. Hose went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, one double and one RBI, and Hilliard was 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI.
Bobak tossed a complete game and gave up one earned run on four hits. She struck out eight and walked four.
"In the last two innings, she (Bobak) clamped down, struck out three and induced two groundouts," O'Leksy said. "Prior to that, Jefferson had runners on every inning. Bobak came through in the end when we needed her."
Jefferson scored two runs in the first to take an early lead. The Cheesemakers battled back with a four-run second. Monroe freshman Grace Tostrud had a two-run single to right to score junior Madison Katzenberger and Sam Marty to tie the game at 2. Hose then delivered an RBI double and Betthauser came through with an RBI single to give the Cheesemakers a 4-2 lead.
